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H. M. BEEOHER.

Pence-Post.

No. 223,665. Paten ted Jan. 20,1880.

nrPETERS, FHOTOiITI-IOGRAPnER WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

HENRY M. BEEOHER, OF NEW HAVEN, OONNEGTIGUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO CHARLES S. MERSIOK, OF SAMEPLAOE.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,665, dated January 20, 1880.

Application filed July 24, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY M. BEEcHER, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Oonnecticut,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in the peculiar construction of the post at the foot, the parts being hinged or pivoted together and adapted for driving into the ground; also, in the peculiar construction of the post at the eyes for receiving the fence-wire, all as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence-post which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, represented as just started a little into the ground. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are side elevations of portions of said post, showing the eyes in successive stages; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line as m of Fig. 4.

Adesignates the post proper, which consists of an upright flattened bar, with a curved arm or fluke, a, formed solid in one and the same piece on its lower end. B designates a similar arm or fluke, but set so as to point in the opposite direction, and with. its flat side pivoted to the flat side of the post proper by means of a pin, bolt, or rivet, h, set some little distance from the upper end of the fluke B, as shown. I

In Fig. 1 the post is in its upright position, the ground surface being indicated by the transverse broken line. The best way to insert the post is to first make a hole for a little distance into the ground by means of a crowbar or other proper tool, as indicated in Fig. 3; then bring the points of the flukes nearly together while they are still crossing each other, enter them in the hole, and drive on the projecting upper end, a, of the arm or fluke B. As the two flukes are pivoted or bolted together, this necessarily drives both flukes into the ground.

In Fig. 3 the post is represented as having been entered in the hole and driven in a short distance. Upon driving farther the lower ends of the curved and crossed flukes spread outward and their upper ends and the post proper gradually come into an upright position. When the post has been driven in so far that the upper end, 0, of the fluke B does not project from the post proper suinciently to be conveniently struck in driving, then the driving may be finished by striking directly upon the upper end of the post proper until the parts are brought into the position represented by Fig. 1, when the post will be planted or anchored so firmly in the ground that it cannot be pulled over without bending the post. Of course it is well to tamp the earth a little about the foot of the post after driving.

The object of the second part of my invention is to form the eyes for the reception of the wire without cutting far into the body of the post or otherwise materially weakening it. I propose to form the post of straight bars.

By means of proper dies I form two concave depressions upon opposite sides of the post and near one edge thereof, the metal being hot and so confined in dies that all of the metal displaced by thus reducing its thickness will be thrown outward on one edge, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7. By means of a suitable out. ting-die and punch aslot and eye, (I, is punched out, cutting through the portion thus reduced in thickness, the slotted eye being ofsubstantially the form shown in Fig.5. It is intended to set the posts in position when the eyes d are open, as shown in Fig. 5, and after the wire has been slipped in through the slot and drawn taut the eye is closedfirmly upon the wire by hammering the metal on the side which projects from the post, to close the slot, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6.

The post may be provided with as many eyes as may be desired.

I am aware that fence-posts hav e been made double, each part having a curved arm or fluke set with their convex edges back to back and hinged together between said edges, so that the flukes might be forced outward by forcing the parts of the divided posts toward each other; also, that posts are old having split prongs bent at their ends so as to be farther curved in the act of driving into the ground; also, that fence-posts have been made with slotted eyes for receiving the fence-wire, and closed by bending in the metal on one side of said slotted eyes, all of which prior devices are hereby disclaimed.

5 I claim as my invention- 1. In a fencepost, the two curved arms or fiukes, placed side by side, crossing each other, pivoted together, and adapted for driving into the ground, substantially as described, and

10 for the purpose specified.

2. A fence-post consisting of an upright and curved fluke formed rigidly thereon, and a shorter fluke crossing the same and pivoted to one side thereof, and also provided with a sli ghtly-proj ectin g upper end, for receiving the 1 5 first blows in the act of driving the flukes into the ground, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

3. A fence-post having its eyes formed in side projections at the edge of the post, said 20 projections being of a reduced thickness and of one and the same piece with the post, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

HENRY M. BEEOHER. Witnesses T. PARSONS DIOKERMAN, ISAAOR. CORNWALL. 

